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According to the conduct Aokoke had shown toward Lily and the others, she found his words believable.

‘Sister Ayaka, this fellow has seized a city of the Fujiwara Clan and has even killed some of their people. How should we deal with him?’ Lily transmitted her voice.

“We’ll… discuss that later. For now, let him reveal more intelligence first,” Ayaka replied. She did not harbor any particular hatred toward the man.

Among the powerful feudal lords of the Heian Dynasty, endless struggles for dominance were the norm, and mutual slaughter was commonplace. As long as it was not indiscriminate killing of innocents, casualties caused by territorial disputes could hardly be considered unforgivable crimes.

Such was simply the way of this world.

There was, however, another question that weighed heavily on Lily’s mind.

“You said the gods of Takamagahara are all exceedingly lustful. Then why aren’t you?” Lily asked.

Aokoke raised his head to look at the two peerless beauties before him. His eyes were filled with reluctance as he said, “It is not that I lack desire. Though I too belong to the Kegaretsu Clan, I have witnessed the cold realities of the world in Takamagahara. Those of my kind rely on their noble status to oppress Celestial Maidens, treating ordinary women of the seraphic race like livestock! Such brutality… how could it ever last?”

“I am but a minor deity with no standing in Takamagahara. When I first learned that the Celestial Demon Path had opened, I immediately descended to the mortal world to seek my own path.”

“I knew full well that with my strength, I could never dominate the human realm. I only wished to claim a territory with my kin, establish laws and order, and develop agriculture and trade. Only then could there be lasting stability. I was overlooked in Takamagahara, so upon coming here, I simply hoped to become a proper ruler of one domain.”

Unexpectedly, this old god possessed a measure of insight. He understood that ruling through violence and oppression could never endure.

“Indeed, when my sister and I entered the city, everything appeared orderly. But why is it that the refugees nearby spoke of rampant brutality and slaughter within, as though the world had fallen into chaos?” Lily demanded.

Aokoke trembled all over and hurriedly kowtowed. “Goddesses, forgive me! Th-that happened right after we took the city. Some of my coarse subordinates acted recklessly. It was not my command! I later reprimanded them harshly, but they refused to obey, so I drove them all out, forbidding them from ever returning to the city!”

“By doing that, didn’t you simply push disaster onto others? As expected of a god of calamity!” Lily rebuked him.

“I know my crime, I know my crime!”

Lily shook her head and continued, “Then tell me, why did you want to take me as your adopted daughter? What were your intentions?”

“Th-this…”

“At this point, hiding the truth won’t do you any good, Lord Kegaretsu,” Lily said with a mocking tone.

“Sigh…”

Aokoke let out a long sigh and shook his head helplessly. “This… is an ambition I have been unable to realize for many years.”

“Ambition? Taking in a young and beautiful girl as your adopted daughter can be called an ambition?” Ayaka asked.

“Goddesses, though I am of the Kegaretsu clan, I have always despised the actions of my kin. Yet I am weak and hold no status among them, often scorned by my own kind. I am powerless to change anything.”

“After much thought, I came up with a plan. I would nurture a woman of great virtue and peerless beauty, take her as my adopted daughter, and marry her into the ranks of the powerful in Takamagahara. In doing so, I could elevate the standing of my faction. At the same time, I could guide her, so that as a wife, she might persuade those nobles to stop oppressing the Celestial Maidens and the seraphims, and reduce the corruption of Takamagahara. Though the effect may be limited, my lifespan is long, and I must hold onto some hope… otherwise, how would I be any different from an ordinary stone?”

“I originally intended to train a Celestial Maiden, but I never found a suitable candidate. Even when I did, they were unwilling. I did not wish to rely on my status to force others, so I put the matter aside. Who would have thought that not long after arriving in the mortal world, I would encounter you!”

His eyes gleamed with excitement. “The moment I saw you, I felt that even among all the graceful and charming Celestial Maidens of Takamagahara, none could compare to you. You are simply—”

“Enough, enough. I get it,” Lily cut him off before he could continue flattering her.

She looked at the old god with a sigh of resignation.

It seemed she might have misjudged him somewhat. Just as among countless Celestial Maidens there were traitors, even within the Kegaretsu clan, there could exist such an anomaly.

“Tell us, where is the entrance to the Celestial Demon Path in the human world?” Lily asked, taking out a map.

Although having Aokoke guide them personally would have been the safest option, Lily had no desire to continue traveling through the stifling rainforest with this old man. Even if he harbored no ill intent, it still felt inconvenient.

Aokoke showed no intention of concealing anything and pointed to a spot on the map.

“Yamatai?” Lily looked at the location he indicated.

“Indeed, it is the place called Yamatai,” he replied.

“Yamatai…” Ayaka murmured thoughtfully. “Long before the Heian Dynasty, in the distant past, there was said to be a dark era known as the Yayoi period. Back then, the ancestors of mankind lived in Yamatai. It can be considered one of the oldest centers of mortal civilization.”

Lily had also heard fragments of this legend. She recalled that she still possessed Himiko’s Longbow.

“The most famous queen of Yamatai was Lady Himiko,” Lily said with a sigh.

Perhaps long ago, the natives of Yamatai had received guidance from gods who descended to the mortal world, allowing their civilization to flourish thereafter. If that were the case, then the claim that Yamatai served as the entrance to the Celestial Demon Path in the human world was highly credible.

“Sister, we should set out for Yamatai immediately,” Lily said decisively.

“Mm.” Ayaka nodded.

Lily then turned to Aokoke, her gaze cold and lofty. “Though you descended to the mortal world with ambitions of domination, your motives are not entirely unjust, and you have not committed grave sins. I will spare your life. However, remember this: you must never reveal that we were here. Otherwise…”

“Rest assured, Goddess! I will guard this secret with my life, and I will never inquire about your origins!” Aokoke said, kowtowing repeatedly.

“Mm.” Lily and Ayaka exchanged a glance and nodded before leaving the castle tower together.

There was another reason Lily chose not to kill Aokoke. If they killed him, they would have no time to look after the civilians within the city. Once Lily and the others left, the place would inevitably fall into the hands of other demons or evil gods, and when that happened, the result would surely be devastation and slaughter.

For the common people, what difference did it make who ruled them? At the very least, Aokoke was still capable of protecting them.

“Lily, did we forget something?” After leaving the inner city, the two stood beneath a towering tree, gazing out over the city as Ayaka spoke.

“Huh? …Ah!”

Rei and the others were still inside the city!

As for Rei, Shimizu, and Nanako, the three of them struggled to communicate from the start. Rei was never one for many words, and Nanako differed greatly from her in height, figure, and strength, making it hard for them to connect. As for Shimizu, she simply showed no interest in anything that didn’t concern her.

In the end, the three wandered aimlessly through the city. Their opinions never aligned, and they failed to take any action. Eventually, they simply went into a tavern and spent the entire night there.

During that time, a few vagrants came to harass them, only to be swiftly driven off by Rei. Fearing further trouble that might implicate Lily, they changed taverns, rented a private room, and stayed quietly inside, enjoying an uninterrupted peace.

When they received Lily’s voice transmission and heard that she had obtained crucial information, the three were overjoyed. They immediately rushed out of the city and regrouped with Lily and Ayaka.

“Yamatai?” Rei’s gaze turned distant. She had heard of this place before. Back when she studied the histories of past dynasties, she had felt a sense of longing toward that ancient and mysterious land.

“Yamatai lies deep within Tsukushi Island, approximately 1,500 to 2,500 kilometers away,” Ayaka said while looking at the map.

“Then let’s head there as quickly as possible.” The sisters quickened their pace, weaving through the vast, humid rainforest thick with mist and towering trees as they made their way toward the ancient and enigmatic land of Yamatai.

Along the way, they came upon a clear pool of water.

“Sisters, could we stop for a moment and wash up?” Lily asked. She had wanted to bathe before dancing earlier, and had delayed it until now.

“Lily, aren’t you being unnecessary now? Even bathing, you insist on doing it separately,” Shimizu said with displeasure.

“And whose fault is that? Miss Shimizu always tries to peek,” Nanako snapped irritably.

“Oh? What are you saying, little girl? Besides, it’s not like I haven’t seen it before.” Shimizu smiled with a hint of smugness.

“You… You say such things while wearing that lewd expression! Everyone knows exactly what you’re thinking!” Nanako protested, flustered.

“Enough. It’s already so hot, and unlike certain people, we don’t carry a natural chill with us. Can’t you all settle down? We just washed not long ago. Do you want to end up drenched in sweat again?” Ayaka said with annoyance.

“Lady Ayaka, are you envious of the cold aura I naturally possess? Shall I cool you down as well?” Rei flicked her silver hair and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Ayaka from behind as she sat on a rock.

“Miss Uesugi, is it that this heat is too much for a woman from the Land of Snow, so you’ve started fooling around with them too?” Ayaka pushed away Rei’s hands, which had draped around her neck and even brushed against her full chest, her face tinged slightly red.

“Hehe, just a joke. No need to take it seriously.” Rei laughed freely, her icy eyes glinting coldly.

“Oh my, I thought Miss Uesugi didn’t like domineering women. Why are you suddenly bothering Sister Ayaka? Could it be that someone has changed recently?” Shimizu teased with a charming smile.

Though her words seemed aimed at Rei, they were clearly mocking Ayaka.

Ayaka stood up and walked aside. “That’s enough. At a time like this, do you have no sense of priorities? If you keep making jokes like that, I won’t be so lenient! Look at yourselves. You insisted on coming along for this infiltration, but what have you actually done? Wandering around, drinking, or bothering Lily! If I had known, Lily and I should have come alone!”

“Tch, do you still think you’re that lofty Chief Advisor? Just because you’re tall, you think you can punish us? Can you even manage it? Who knows who’ll end up punishing whom,” Shimizu said with a coquettish laugh.

“You…” Ayaka, whose strength was now inferior to Shimizu’s, flushed with anger yet found herself unable to refute her.